Water-gauge protector



.Fume 3 1924-.

J. G. MELUS WATER GAUGE PROTECTOR l Filed Feb. 26.

J. @dy/waas.

Patented .lune 3, 1924.

t JAMES e. MnLrUs, or P HrtoMATH.- OREGON.

WATER-GAUGE rnorne'ron.

Application niega February 26, Y199.3. serial No. 621,374.

T all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JAMES G. MELIUS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philoniath, in the county of Benton and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in later-Gauge Protectors, of which the following is a spec-y iication.

My invention relates to water gauges and the object of .the invention is to provide a gauge which protects the observer from flying splinters of glass in case the glass tube CJD should break.

Another object of the invention is to furnish an auxiliary reading scale .or reflector which is adjustable with regard to the water glass and may be turned and set into the position that is most convenient for the observer to read the height of the water.

In the` accompanying drawing one embodiment of the invention is illustrated, and;

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the device erected on a boiler or tank;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section along line 2f-72 of Figure 1; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the details.

In the drawings reference numeral 10 represents the side of a boiler or tank upon which the gauge is secured for reading the height of the water or other liquid contained therein. Two short pieces of pipe 11 and 12 are attached to the side of the boiler or tank 1Q in the usual manner and held se curely thereon by nuts 13 and 14 respectively. These two pipes are situated near the top and bottoni of the boiler or tank 10 and in the saine vertical plane, one above and the other below the nornial water level. Reference nunierals 15 and 16 show elbows threaded on the outer ends of the short pipes 11 and 12 and between the opposing ends of the elbows is secured a metal tube or casing 17. Within the casing 17 is supported the glass tube 18 preferably supplied with an asbestos packing 19 completely surrounding the saine with the exception of the opening 20 extending in the longitudinal direction of the casing 17 for exposing the graduating portion 21 of the glass tube 18.

In theopposing ends of the elbows 15 and 16 are threaded short nipples 22 of substantially the saine outer diameter as the glass tube 18. These nipples 22 are of such a length that they project beyond the ends of the elbows 15 and 16 and abut against the respective ends of the glass tube 118. In orn der to forni tight joints at these points, nuts 24 are threaded on the nipples and each proa vided with a recessed portion 25 at the opposing ends, adapted to receive washers 23 and the outer ends of the casing 17. Between each nut 24 and the adjacent end of its elbow 15 or 16 is inserted a plate bracket 26, against which the nut is drawn up tightly and a connecting rod 27 engages-the outer ends of these brackets 26 and a nut 28 is threaded on the end of the connecting rod 27 in order to draw the brackets together and in this manner securely hold the glass tube audits guard or casing 17 in position between the nuts 24. i

As clearly shown in Figure 1, the longitudinal slot or opening 2O is facing the side of the boiler o1" tank 10 and the solid portion of the inetal tube 17 is turned away therefrom, so as to completely protect a per-l son standing facing the" boiler from flying glass of a broken tube 18; It isevidentthat with a person positioned'in this manner it would be impossible for hinr to read the graduation 21 on the tube and for this reason a mirror 29 is furnished'and placed in such a position that it faces the open side of the casing 17, so that the graduation 21 may be reliected by the mirror to the observer standing on the opposite side of the gauge. rlhis mirror is preferably inade in the forni of a hollow cylinder cut in two longitudinally and mounted to present its convex outer surface in the direction of the graduation 21 of the glass tube. This mirror inay be inade of glass, or inore substantial inaterial may also be selected such as a highly polished, nickel plated, nieta-l pipe which is held in position by a fraine 3() placed parallel with the axis of the water tube 18 and having a plurality of ears or lugs 31 engaging the rearwardly turned edges of the L'mirror 29. The lower end of the fraine 30 is a sector-shaped foot 32 with an arcuate slot 33 having a radial branch 34. A securing bolt 35 engages in this slot and also in a corresponding slot 36 in a short arrn 37, which is rigidly secured on the lower end of the casing 17. By means of this arrangement it is possible to not only advance or retract the mirror 29 with regard to the water tube 18, but also to turn itsideways so that the reading in the mirror of the scale llt) llO

2l can be made on the right or left ol" the gauge as 4found most suitable for conditions at hand.

This gauge is well protected from any injury from exterior' sources as its open face is turned toward the boiler and its solid back turned away therefrom. lt also furnishes protection to the observer in case orp bursting of the glass tube 1S, so that this practically means that no flying pieces of glass could hit him. At the same time the water level in the boiler or tank can b e readily ascertained at any moment by observing its height on the scale 2l as reflected in the mirror 29. Y

It Will beevident that on boilers using straight connections with stop cocks, the pipes 1l and l2, and elbows l5 and 16 are dispensed with and the gaugewith the protector attached directly to such connections instead. Y v

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

l. A water gauge comprising a graduated glass tube, a casing having an open face on one side fitting closely around the glass tube, means for securely connecting the open ends of the glass tube to a pair of pipes openinginto a tank, a mirror adapted to reflect said graduation, a frame for said mirror, a foot on said frame and integral therewith, an arm integral with said casing, and means for adjustably clamping said ooton said arni in radial as Well as angular direction in relation to saidglass tube.

2. A water gauge comprising a graduated glass tube, a' casing having an open iace on one side litting closely around the glass tube, means for securely connecting the open ends of the glass tube to a pair of lpipes opening into a tank, a mirror adjustably secured on said casing adapted to relect said graduation, a frame for said mirror, a foot on said iframe, an arm on said casing, and means for clamping said loot on said arm, said clamping means consisting oi'' a bolt engaging a radial slot in said arm and in arcuate and radial slots provided in said fA root.

3. A water gauge comprising a graduated glass tube, a casing having an open face on one side itting closely around the glass tube, means for securely connecting the open ends of the glass tube to a pair or" pipes opening into a tank, a mirror adapted to revilect said graduation, a frame for said mir- JAMES G. MELUS. ins] 

